Cold Caps Users Past and Present, to Save Hair
Comments
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That's why I said grieving is important. You have to grieve what you have lost, and that takes time. When you are early on and in the midst of hell, it is hard to be grateful.
And I didn't say not to have pity for yourself. In fact, I said have compassion for yourself. It is critical. Be easy on yourself!
HOWEVER, you don't have to make the stress and anxiety worse for yourself by worrying about things you cannot control. How much hair you might lose is a prime example.
It is what it is. What will be will be. Que sera sera.
Much love to all. I know this is hard.
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I'm sorry, Trixie, I can't imagine how disappointed you are feeling. Who knows why some people have good results with TAC and some don't? It isn't fair. It sounds like you gave it your all. I don't know if it's worth it to continue or not. I've heard of people getting earlier growth if they continue but it may not be worth the money or the hassle to you.
Cold capping helped me focus on something else other than having cancer but I suspect the reality of all this is setting in. Having my last chemo last week has brought about a lot of weird, sad emotions that I wasn't expecting. I guess it's because as long as I was actively getting chemo, I was doing something about the cancer. Now it's just a waiting game and picking up the pieces of the past 5 months.
Dancetrance, you are one wise lady. Thank you!
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Thank you Runner. The time AFTER treatment is a very hard adjustment - and yes - it is quite unexpected. You have to learn to deal with recurrence fears. This was the time in my life that I really had to learn to surrender to whatever life brought my way. We are all on a ride of which we truly have little control! One has to learn not to let cancer take away your enjoyment of whatever you have left! Not an easy task! Especially if you are a type A, control freak (aka my natural personality, lol!)
Trust me, I wasn't very good at this for a long time. Trying to share what I have learned, hoping it makes others' paths a bit easier.
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Well said Dancertrance! Cancer is the biggest emotional ride you will ever be on. I always struggled the worst when there was a change(for example chemo ending, having a surgery, waiting for your hair to grow back after you have finished all your treatments, etc.). I finally got through that and then the fear of recurrence. It's all a normal process for us. We need to accept it, grieve, feel our feelings and try to move on(with or without professional help:))
I was originally diagnosed 2 short years ago in January 2014 and just had a recurrence. I am still processing and in shock but believe everything happens for a reason and will get through this again.
Back to cold capping.....I didn't even know about it the first time around so am trying it this time. My chemo regimine is Taxotere, Herceptin and Perjeta
I am praying it works....with all the effort and money that it costs I hope it's worth it. Losing my hair was one of the worst things for me. I wore wigs for a year and a half and don't want to do that again!!
Best wishes to all!
Kathy
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When does the shedding stop? I am 4 weeks out for my TC treatment. I'm not sure sure if I'll continue due to a severe reaction. I'm getting a 2nd option this week. I still have about 95% of my hair, but it is shedding daily. Will it stop soon?
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Sheri post chemo shedding really varies by person/the hair growth cycle they have - so not predictable. I shedded a full 14 (or was it 16?) weeks post chemo. Thought it was never going to end!
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Hi Trixie,
Your results are almost identical to mine. I had 4 AC treatments & lost about 30% of my hair. I started Taxol & shed another 30%. I almost pulled the plug several times. I had to wear a hat everywhere. I decided to make it a week by week decision to keep capping. I stayed with them. My hair started to grow back in when I had about half my 12 Taxols left. I lost my eye brows & lashes. They're growing back more slowly.
Here's the good news.... I have 1 Taxol left. My new hair has grown enough that I had to get a haircut to even up the hair I kept with the new hair. A friend who didn't cap told me yesterday that it was 6 months after she finished chemo that she had hair as long as mine is now.
On the humor front, quite a few people at our place thought my husband and I were tailgating during chemo since we arrived with coolers. They have inquired of their chemo nurses if they should also bring their tailgate stuff. We've gotten many laughs over that. Many more people have expressed concern to other nurses and patients over my obvious "critical brain issue." I'll have to use the labotomy comment on Tuesday if the opportunity presents itself. Keep laughing!
Leesa T
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Dancetrancer: beautifully said
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Leesa you are so funny!
I thought I had this whole chemo thing down but I've decided this last one is the worst one yet. My face and abdomen are retaining fluid, the neulasta hurts a lot more than usual, I can't stay hydrated...ugh. And to top it off, I lost a LOT of hair today. I'm 24 days after chemo 3 and I haven't lost this much hair since the first shed. Maybe it's because I didn't comb my hair much in the last 6 days and it all caught up today. I went to the Thunder/Warriors game tonight and had to use Toppik. It works, but I've only felt I needed it one other time. I still have another shed to go in 3 weeks! I must have done something wrong with my 3rd capping session. It's all so random so it's hard to say what happened. I think I'm just exhausted. And this really isn't about losing hair. It's about change. Dancer nailed it. And tonight I'm feeling sorry for myself
How are you guys staying hydrated? Everything I drink I swear just sits in my bloated stomach making me miserable. Tonight I'm sipping on hot tea to see if slower drinking helps absorb better. I already look 7 months pregnant this round so I don't need anything else just sitting in my stomach! Someone please tell me I'll lose all this water weight! None of my clothes fit right except yoga pants.
Ok I'm finished complaining.
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Hi Ladies! I'm a little more than a week out of my 4th and probably feeling my worst. But at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! My energy levels are terrible. I'm like a zombie in my workout classes and super bloated again! That is making me so crazy. I feel like a sausage! I am really hoping it subsides soon!!! As for the shedding. That is still in full effect too. Hoping once I get past the next 2 weeks it will stop but sounds like it varies!
Runner70 what did you do to style your hair last night? Did you dry or straightened? I bet you looked beautiful! Hopefully my chubby face and belly go away soon!
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It really scares me to hear that round 4 has been the worst, I am having a terrible round 3, all the SE I had avoided are coming with a vengeance. Also started some shedding again and at this point I don't know what to do, I look like an old hippie with 4 hairs and a bald scalp. If this shedding becomes anything like the first one I won't make it with hair for another week...
Runner I felt like the water I was drinking was really not helping me at all, so I thought maybe eating something a bit salty would help, and it seems like it did, a few pita chips very lightly salted seem to help me hydrate better, It may be just my imagination
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Well, for me 4 has been the worst but the first two weren't that bad for me and actually it's not like it's all that much worse than 3 if I really think about it (3 was when things started getting rough for me too!).
As for the shedding. I'm still waiting to see and hoping that slows down! I have some events in early and late June that I really want to be able to look normal for!!
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Cassie, I was so freaked out by all the hair I pulled out that I just barely blow dried it and then let it dry on its own. Seems that's my signature style the past 3 months.
Cody, maybe the 4th one isn't really the worst but for me I was already so tired and beat down going into it, it made it that much worse. Plus we are all anemic at this point and our bodies are working harder to recover.
Here's a fun pic with one of my best friends from the game last night. I'm the one on the right with the dwindling eyebrows. Lol. We had a great time even though I was really hurting and my stomach felt so big I thought I was going to suffocate. You can't really see the facial swelling in the pic but my friend could tell and I could definitely feel it
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Runner70, looking good! I can't see any hair loss at all!
I finished my Taxol:Herceptin...and my last capping session! Still have Herceptin once every 3 weeks...but no more PCC's! I am VERY thankful for them...they worked! (My Steel Magnolia artwork behind me...we are all Steel Magnolias in my book!)
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Nolagirl and runner 70, thank you for sharing pictures you look amazing! Your hair really look great! I don't see any hair loss!!!!
It's very encouraging puctures😘
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Looking fabulous ladies!!!!!!
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Nolagirl, we on the same chemo regiment. When did the shedding started? I don't know how your hair looked before but at this point they look very good. I am only 21 days since my first chemo. I see a lot of ladies write that it starts on day 17 to 21 but nurse said it is week 6 with Taxol...Just wonder what to expect.
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hi Viktoryak!
I honestly think that I didn't ever have a BIG shed. I have had shedding only when combing after washing it. But week 6 was the first time that I noticed a little more shedding than normal. I also took Silica drops throughout to keep the hair that I did have strong.
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Nolagirl, thank you for getting back. What is silica drops?
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I had one big shed 21 days after the 1st chemo and then a smaller big shed 24 days after 3rd chemo, which seems to have resolved. Other than that, it's been pretty slow but steady. I hope I dont have another one in 3 weeks. There's so much long red hair all over my house it looks like I'm running a golden retriever rescue!
I wish I could say I didn't shed any! I have found that on the nonwash days, I can make my hair look thicker by misting a leave in conditioner on it. It kind of fluffs it back up and gives it more volume.
Does anyone know if it looks funny when it starts growing back? I'm picturing me having long hair with little spikes of new hair all over, and hopefully they are the same color as my current hair!
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My hair looked great as it filled in. The new hair was curly...gave my poker straight hair a beautiful soft wave. I loved it! (Didn't have much grey to worry about)
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Viktoryak- Silica drops- bought them on Amazon. See below
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Runner and Nola you both look beautiful and no one would guess that you are going through any medical stuff at all, let alone chemo!
Went to drop off my son at school today and had to run in without makeup. Super uncomfortable with my missing inner brows and lack of lashes. Thank god for eyeliner and eyebrow powder!!! Made me realize how little I would like the public to see my cancer face
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Runner 70 and Nolagirl,
Thanks for posting pics of your hair!! It is very encouraging to see:)). I start cold capping June 9th and hope my hair looks as good as both of yours! Runner girl, did you style your hair or is it naturally that gorgeous? I have curly hair that I blow dry and straighten every day....I know I am not going to be able to do that during chemo and cold capping and am a little nervous about how it's going to look without any styling. If I let it air dry it is a frizzy untamed hot mess. Did either of you curl the ends or straighten the ends of your hair??
Thanks,
Kathy
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had my #4 weekly Taxol today. MO said that hair should start falling about this time through week 6... Let's see if caps work. It was very hard day with caps today. We started with caps but my infusion was delayed. So had probably extra 40 min of it. I was so happy to take it off. It was extremely cold today. I wonder if other times was cold enough...
And here just for fun...A weekly crazy cold cap shot. Once again made by my son on one of those funny photo change programs.
. Kitty character
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Viktoryak- lol! You look fab! My son plays with that app too!
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here is an idea girls, to cheer us all up! Let's post funny photos of us in caps or just funny photos of us. We need positive emotions. It will also put a face to the name;)
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Just had my 2nd treatment - TC - with second Cold Cap. Penguin Cold Caps. Still have most of my hair at day 22...but this morning is a challenge. I have TWO LARGE MATTS in the back of my hair (as a result of the hair net and capping all day I guess). I'm working them slowly and carefully with spray on water and leave in Keratose conditioner - but I'm losing so much hair. Now have bald spots on the top of my head for the first time. I'm heartsick. I got one of the matts out - actually - a bulk of it fell out into my hand. I'm leaving the 2nd one be (it's 4\3 inches long and .5 inch -1 inch wide p coning off the crown of my head where the most hair is being lost. I'm using tiny alligator clips to cover the spots. Do I trim the matt? UGH?!
ANY ADVICE? (I know, it's only hair - but I'm trying my best to stay looking as much like me (the new me?) as I an.
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Hiya all!
Great pic Runner and Nola! congrats, you both look amazing. thanks for posting them
seems like the trend for first shed when capping is 21 days. Did anyone start earlier? I am on day 15 from TC and am shedding 3-4 hairs for every 1 I usually shed throughout the day. Did this happen for anyone else? Its not chunks, but several strands at a time. hmmmm
thanks for any responses!
blessings!!
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aimless - never had that problem myself but other gals on here have - they say cornstarch works wonders for getting rid of mats.
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